OSAGE CITY—Five Osage County residents received extra cash totaling $2,600 Wednesday night, during the sixth annual Christmas on Us grand prize drawing. The Christmas on Us promotion rewards residents for shopping at local businesses. The Osage City High School jazz band provided entertainment and cookies and brownies made by Nancy Washburn of Ramblin’ Rose were handed out after the drawing.

The grand prize winners of $1,000 in scrip were Jack Curtis and Aileen Carlson.

Jack Curtis, Osage City, was the winner of the first $1,000 prize. His ticket number was called by Jim Ullery of Jim’s Garage, Scranton. Curtis said it felt good to win the $1,000, but he had no idea what to spend it on.

“I think it (Christmas on Us) is a good program,” Curtis said.

A blue ticket and an orange ticket were drawn by Ullery before he drew another blue ticket that was Curtis’ winning ticket. All three tickets were from Jerry’s Thriftway.

Osage County Herald-Chronicle Publisher Catherine Faimon called on an audience member dressed as Santa Claus to pull the last ticket. He drew one ticket, making Aileen Carlson, Osage City, a happy shopper. Carlson’s ticket came from the Furniture Loft, Osage City.

Carlson said her daughter recently had a root canal and they might spend the money on that, but that they also might spend it on groceries and gas. When asked how it felt to win $1,000, Carlson said, “Are you kidding me? I’m shaking, it’s so exciting. I never win anything.”

Rhonda Hunter, of Harmon Dental, Osage City, drew one of the winning $250 tickets from the hopper. She first drew a blue ticket from Casey’s, Carbondale, which went unclaimed. The next ticket she drew was a winning ticket for Deanna Attkisson, Osage City. Attkisson plans
to spend her money on groceries. Her winning ticket was from Casey’s, Osage City.

Kelsey Johnson, clerk at Lyndon Building Materials, drew the second winning $250 ticket held by Pat Hafenstein, Osage City. He said it felt great to win and was going to try to spread the money around and spend a little at as many of the sponsor businesses as possible. Hafenstein’s ticket came after three tickets had been drawn and went unclaimed. Hafenstein’s ticket came from Aunt Dee’s BP in Osage City. When asked what he thought about Christmas on Us, Hafenstein said, “It’s awesome. It’s so good to see all the people that came out tonight and to know that everything is going back into the community.”

The Herald-Chronicle staff worked with a few local businesses to offer several door prizes during the grand prize drawing Wednesday. Winners included the person who traveled the farthest, best Christmas socks, best festive sweater or costume, first person to know all nine reindeer names and someone with a birthday on or near Christmas Day. Prizes were a pie certificate to Santa Fe Café in Burlingame, two bags of ground coffee from Osage City Chamber of Commerce, two sixth-month subscriptions to The Herald-Chronicle, and a large bag of animal food from South Shore Animal Hospital.

During the four-week promotion, there were 10 $50 prizes available to give away, which required shoppers to search for their ticket numbers in sponsor advertisements found in The Herald-Chronicle. By matching their ticket numbers with those hidden in the ads, shoppers could claim $50 in scrip money at The Herald-Chronicle by noon Tuesday each week.

Eight of 10 prizes were claimed prior to Wednesday’s drawing, which left two to be given away at the drawing.

Herald-Chronicle reporter Elisabeth Gaston pulled one ticket which was immediately claimed by Stacey Handley, Osage City. She planned to share the $50 with a friend. Handley’s ticket was from Jerry’s Thriftway.

Herald-Chronicle ad designer Mallory Shehi pulled a ticket for the second $50 prize. Shehi drew one blue ticket from Casey’s, Scranton, and two blue tickets from Jerry’s Thriftway before pulling the winning yellow ticket from Jerry’s Thriftway. Beverly Mullins, Osage City, claimed the prize and said she planned to spend the money on gas and groceries.

During this year’s contest, 78,904 tickets were given away, which translates to residents spending $789,040 at local businesses for services and merchandise throughout the four-week promotion.

One $50 instant prize was claimed during the fourth and final week of the contest. Jeff Whitmer, Osage City, claimed $50 scrip money after seeing his ticket number in an ad for Buzzard’s Pizza. Whitmer received his ticket from Overbrook Family Dentistry and plans to use the money to purchase Christmas presents.

Two other winning tickets printed in Christmas on Us ads in the Dec. 13 issue, but not claimed, were hidden in the Theel’s Plumbing Heating and Cooling ad and the D and D Tire Center ad.